|
The ongoing violence in the panchayat polls claimed two more lives in Gonda and Deoria districts. Both the murders took place late Wednesday night and local administration deployed a heavy police force in the areas to avert any fresh violence.
In the first case reported from Gonda, the brother of a gram pradhan candidate was beaten to death by the rivals owing to electoral enmity in the Khaira Khas village of the Nagar Kotwali police area, police said on Thursday.
Two other people, including a woman, sustained serious injuries in the incident.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Lakshmikant Gautam said that Krishna Kumar Yadav of Khaira Khas village had lodged a report that his brother, Ashok, was returning after campaigning in the panchayat elections when a member of the rival candidate, whom he identified as Kashi, and his 10 supporters attacked him with lathis, sticks and iron rod.
One Pawan and Ashok's sister-in-law Sumiran, who went to save him, were also attacked by the accused. All three were sent to hospital from where they referred them to the KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow owing to their critical condition.
However, Ashok died on way to the hospital.
Police said that four persons had been arrested and a case registered against the accused in this matter.
Kashi Shivanand, the candidate of the opposite party, is also among the accused.
The DSP said that a police force had been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure and at present the situation was normal.
In Deoria, Gulab Pal (40), a resident of Lok Nariyal hamlet of Mayeel in Deoria, working as a carpenter, was supporting one of the aspirants in the panchayat election. On Wednesday, he went to attend a party hosted by the candidate after the day-long campaigning was over. As soon as Pal left the party in the night to return home, he was intercepted by supporters of the opposite party who attacked him with sticks and rods till he fainted.
The accused later escaped from the spot.
SP Deoria Sripati Mishra said that the victim was taken to Bhagalpur primary health centre where the doctors pronounced him dead.
He said that a heavy police force was deployed in the area and the police were trying to nab the assailants after registering a case in this regard.